Royal tour of Singapore captured by ecstatic locals as Kate Middleton shows she"s a dab hand at the photo op

Caught on a thousand cameras: Royal tour of Singapore captured by ecstatic locals as Kate shows she's a dab hand at the photo opWilliam recently made clear that he and Kate, who are both 30, are keen to start a family soonRoyal couple took time to chat with pupils from British international school in the city-stateThey were on a tour of the Gardens

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UPDATED:

14:22 GMT, 12 September 2012

It's official: William and Kate mania has hit the Far East.

Fans and well wishers waited for hours in the searing Singapore heat this morning in order to catch a glimpse of the Royal couple on the second day of their Diamond Jubilee tour.

And, as the pair made their way through an upmarket housing estate in Queenstown, a thousand camera phones emerged from handbags and pockets to capture the historic moment.

Despite it being a steamy 36 degrees, both Kate and William looked unflustered as they shook hands and posed for pictures with the crowd who were waving Union flags and carrying 'Kate is great' banners.

The Duchess had changed from an elegant Alexander McQueen broderie anglaise suit into a pretty patterned silk skirt and top by Asian designer Raoul, costing 485. Her trademark tumbling locks were frizz free despite the humidity.

Meanwhile the Duke looked cool and relaxed after ditching his tie in order to beat the afternoon heat. He had earlier revealed the couple's plans to start a family after being quizzed by a little boy.

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Memento: The camera phones come out as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge walk through the Strathmore Green housing estate in Singapore on day two of their Diamond Jubilee tour of the Far East

Making a Royal entrance: Kate chose a pretty patterned silk skirt and top by Asian designer Raoul, which cost 485 for the Royal couple's visit to a local housing estate

Royal fan club: Crowds waved Union flags and held banners including one that read: 'Wills and Kate, lookin' great' as they welcomed the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

The brollies are out…but not for the rain: Kate walks past crowds sheltering from the searing heat of the day, left, and nearly becomes a cropper after a gust of wind blew her skirt up in Queenstown, Singapore, right

Snap happy: The Duchess can just be seen over a sea of cameras and camera phones during the couple's stop-off in Singapore

The plucky youngster had asked how big a family the Prince would like. He answered without hesitation: 'Two'. William recently made clear that he and the Duchess, who are both 30, are keen to start a family soon and many predict that may come after this current tour is over.

He and Kate were also asked what 'powers they would like' if they could be a superhero by Jaz Heber Percy, 13. The Duke replied: 'That’s a hard question – I’m not sure. I’ll have to think about it. I think invisibility.'

Then, when she met the Duchess moments later, she asked her the same question. Miss Percy said: 'Kate said she had to be invisible if Prince William was, otherwise he would be able to sneak up on her.' Her friend Charlotte Phillipson, 13, said: 'She found it really tricky to answer.'

Miss Phillipson said she burst into tears when the Duchess spoke to her, adding: 'She is my idol, she is a great model and something really to aspire to. She is very down to earth and lovely.'

Queenstown is the first ‘satellite’ town in Singapore which was, appropriately, named after the Queen to mark her coronation in 1953. Located in the south-western part of the island, around five miles from the city, it resembles an English housing estate – but with manicured lawns and a distinct lack of graffiti.

Getting stuck in: The Duchess chats with students and teachers during an art therapy session at the Rainbow Centre for children with special needs, at the centre's Margaret Drive school in Singapore

Having a go: Kate, who studied art history at St Andrews University, tries her hand at batik painting at the Rainbow centre session

Well done! Kate gives students the thumbs up as she attends the art therapy session at the Rainbow Centre

For us The Duke and Duchess speak to student Tan Si Xue after he gave them one of his paintings following a performance at the Rainbow Centre

Enjoying the show: The Duke and Duchess watch as students from the Rainbow Centre perform, while right, the Duchess taps THOSE shoes in time to the performance

Less than forty years ago, however, it was an area of large, swampy land inhabited by a few hundred people living in attap-roofed huts (a form of mangrove palm) who lived by cultivating fruit and rearing poultry. Now it is a self-sufficient town with more than 84,000 people living in 30,200 apartments thanks to a major building project by the Housing Development Board (HDB).

The couple arrived to a whirr of noise and colour as they were greeted by a traditional lion dance – a sign of welcome and good luck – to represent Singapore's Chinese community.

The couple looked genuinely entranced – Kate particularly – as they watched the dancing, before moving onto a group of Malay drummers known as a Kompang and then an Indian band, both representing the island’s two other main cultural groups.

The Duke and Duchess walked around the estate's gardens and play areas and received a tumultuous welcome from thousands of local residents waving Union flags and Diamond Jubilee tea towels.

Elegance: Kate chose a pretty patterned silk skirt and top by Asian designer Raoul, which cost 485 for the Royal couple's visit to a local housing estate

Effortless: Despite the 36 degree heat, Kate looked cool, calm and collected in her trademark nude platform shoes while her husband appeared without a tie in an effort to beat the heat

Lovely to meet you: The Duchess looked enthralled by the sea of hands extended towards her as she met the crowds during a visit to Queenstown, Singapore

The brollies are out…but not for the rain: Some members of the crowd fainted after waiting hours in the searing heat for the Duke and Duchess to arrive

Pride: A young Royal fan wears a pair of Union flag glasses, left and school children wave British flags, right, as they wait for the Duke and Duchess to arrive at the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore

In the centre of the area was a playground and number of outdoor gym machines on which a variety of pensioners were exercising. William approached one lady in her 70s and told her through a translator: 'You are looking great How much do you exercise An hour a day! That is fantastic, you must have big arms and legs. Very fit. Awesome'

The couple were then guided to watch a group of children from Queenstown Secondary School playing a game of ‘chapteh’. This is a traditional Malay game, often played by children but also adults, where they use a small flat-bottomed weight attached to a feather and kick it with their instep to each other.

William looked intrigued and didn’t hesitate to have a go, striking the feathered weight perfectly first time. Afterwards the local MP Dr Chia Shi Lu said: It can take two to three years of practice to be able to hit it with your foot correctly but he did it straight away – and managed to strike all three strokes. That is very impressive.

’I think they were very impressed indeed with what we have done here.’

As they left the Duchess bent down to greet a little Indian girl who had a posy of orchids for her. Five-year-old Brinda Vijapur said afterwards that Kate had complimented her on her dress. ‘She said it looked pretty,’ she said.

Enter the dragon: The couple arrived to a whirr of noise and colour as they were greeted by a traditional lion dance – a sign of welcome and good luck – to represent Singapore's Chinese community

Dazzling: The couple looked genuinely entranced – Kate particularly – as they watched the dancing, before moving onto a group of Malay drummers known as a Kompang

This way Kate! The Duchess takes some time to pose for a few snaps to the delight of locals gathered to catch a glimpse of the Royal pair

THE ROYAL ARMS SHOW: DUCHESS PROVES SHE HAS SENSE OF HUMOUR – AND ENVIABLY TONED ARMS – DURING ROLLS-ROYCE VISIT

Move over Michelle Obama! The Duchess flexes her biceps after pushing in the last blade of a Rolls-Royce wide chord fan blade during her tour of the Rolls-Royce Seletar Campus in Singapore

Although she tends to let her husband be the ‘laughs’ man, Kate proved she, too, has a sense of humour today.

During a visit to Rolls Royce’s new Seletar campus, the Duchess was asked to fit the last fan blade out of 24 to a Trent 900 engine for the Airbus A380 double-decker plane.

As she pushed a lever and the titanium blade slotted home, giggling Kate turned to William and Mark King, president of civil aerospace at Rolls-Royce, and did a jokey Popeye-style movement, showing off her enviable arm muscles. The cheeky gesture caused roars of laughter from the floor – and Kate to visibly blush.

Hundreds of staff had gathered to cheer the Duke and Duchess who were celebrating the British success story that is Rolls Royce. The company opened its Singapore branch in February.

In a speech William said: ‘Here is cutting edge aerospace technology developed by one of the United Kingdom’s great global companies. I know that Rolls-Royce sets as its standard that it should be ‘Trusted To Deliver Excellence’. There can be no doubt that Seletar will deliver exactly that.‪'

Flying the flag: Prince William and Kate walk past crowds waving Union flags ahead of an unveiling ceremony at the Rolls-Royce factory in Singapore

Perfect pins: The Duchess displayed toned, tanned legs as she walked through the Rolls-Royce factory in Singapore

How am I doing The Duchess giggles as she is shown how to operate a test engine, left, and right, dons a pair of safety goggles during a visit to the Rolls-Royce factory

The day was running smoothly despite an earlier drama after the couple visited the Rainbow Centre, which helps disabled and autistic children. The crowd had rushed forward to see the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as they made their way back to the car causing a barrier to collapse.

Luckily no-one was hurt in the incident, but Prince William's Scotland Yard personal protection officer was knocked to the ground and several onlookers fell over the barrier.

The crowd, apparently thinking that William was going to talk to them before leaving, surged forward and the barrier fell over. William and his protection officer lifted the barrier up, and William was seen afterwards talking to a member of the public involved in the incident.

Vanitha Muthukoval, 30, the mother of one of the children at the centre, said: 'People from behind were pushing so the barrier fell down. It was very alarming. People were very excited to see William.'

The couple had enjoyed a performance at the centre and Kate had even donned an apron to do a spot of painting with the children. The Duchess, who studied art history at St Andrews University, happily painted away while chatting to students.

Look, they match your dress! Kate accepts a bouquet of flowers from a little girl during a tour in Strathmore Green at Queenstown public housing estate in Singapore

'Princess mad': The Royals accepted a posy of flowers from Maeve Low, aged five, who was picked to make the presentation by the Make-A-Wish Foundation after she was given the all-clear from lymphoma

Tongue tied: Kate bent down to talk to the little girl dressed in a bright pink dress and toy tiara who her mother, Joanne Low, 38, a teacher from Singapore, described as 'princess mad'

For me Kate receives a gift from a little girl, left, while Wills, right, also gets given a little memento of the day from a boy dressed in traditional clothes during the couple's visit to Strathmore Green, a precinct in Queenstown, Singapore

Set back: Earlier in the day crowds, eager to see the Prince, rushed forward causing a barrier to collapse as the Duke and Duchess returned to their car at the end of a visit to the Rainbow Centre. Luckily nobody was hurt

Earlier in the day, hundreds of staff at the Rolls-Royce factory in Singapore had gathered to cheer the Duke and Duchess who were celebrating the British success story of the car maker. The company opened its Singapore branch in February.

In a speech William said: ‘Here is cutting edge aerospace technology developed by one of the United Kingdom’s great global companies. I know that Rolls-Royce sets as its standard that it should be ‘Trusted To Deliver Excellence’. There can be no doubt that Seletar will deliver exactly that.‪'

As the royal couple left they also accepted a posy of flowers from little Maeve Low, aged five, who was picked to make the presentation by the Make-A-Wish Foundation after she was given the all-clear from lymphoma.

William and Kate bent down to talk to the little girl dressed in a bright pink dress and toy tiara who her mother, Joanne Low, 38, a teacher from Singapore, described as 'princess mad'.

The royals spent a few minutes talking to the tongue tied youngster who could only smile but she did present them with some gifts – magic wands each, a painting showing the Cambridges with Maeve's family and a cut-out photograph of the royal couple.

Green fingered: Earlier in the day the Duchess planted a tree in the Gardens of the Bay complex in Singapore, being careful not to get her elegant white Alexander McQueen broderie anglaise suit dirty

Husband and wife effort: Wills take the strain on the other side of the tree as the couple plant a tree during their tour of the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore

Effortless style: The Duchess looked cool and unflustered in the 36 degree heat as she wore a pretty white Alexander McQueen broderie anglaise suit. On her feet she wore her favourite towering navy suede Coco wedges by Stuart Weitzman for Russell & Bromley, which cost a cool 245

Facing the heat: William and wife Kate walk through humid mists during their tour of the Cloud Forest of Singapore's Gardens while the Prince answered probing questions about his plans for the future

Earlier in the day the couple had visited the Gardens /09/12/article-2201945-14F97860000005DC-779_964x661.jpg” width=”964″ height=”661″ alt=”All aboard! The Duke and Duchess saved their legs by hitching a ride on a open air bus during a tour of the Gardens /09/12/article-2201945-14F8C453000005DC-73_964x618.jpg” width=”964″ height=”618″ alt=”Prince William and Kate speak to Dr. Kiat W. Tan during their tour of the gardens, which are Singapore's first conservatories housed in biodomes, displaying plants and flowers from the Mediterranean and Tropics” class=”blkBorder” />

Prince William and Kate speak to Dr. Kiat W. Tan during their tour of the gardens, which are Singapore's first conservatories housed in biodomes, displaying plants and flowers from the Mediterranean and Tropics

Appreciate: Catherine stands with Dr Tan, chief executive officer of Gardens by the Bay, after answering questions form teenagers about what her super powers would be

Catherine wanders around Singapore's Gardens: The couple are in the city-state for a three-day visit which started on Tuesday as part of a tour to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee

Hair protector: The Duchess's famous locks are protected from the mist in the Bay South Garden by white umbrellas

Amelia Green, ten, who was sporting Union flag sunglasses, said: 'We just love them. We all watched the Royal Wedding last year. They are fantastic role models.'

Her friend Grace Conlan, also ten, added: 'It makes us proud to be British.'

The Duchess was asked for some style tips by Ella Major, 15. She said: 'I asked her how she kept her hair so perfect in this weather, because it’s so humid. Mine always pouffes up. She was afraid that her hair might be the same way in a few minutes.

How do you do The royal couple meet dignitaries as they continue their Diamond Jubilee tour of Singapore on behalf of the Queen

Consummate charm: The Duchess of Cambridge looked every bit the beautiful princess as she emerged from her car for the visit to the gardens

Good times: William and Kate grin as the are taken around the Gardens in a golf car. More than 3,000 members of the public had gathered to see the royal couple

Style tips: Kate discussed hair care with youngsters from the local British international school who had turned up to greet the royal couple

'She said that her hair would pouffe up soon enough.'

Several people even fainted as they stood in sweltering heat for three hours to catch a glimpse of the Duke and Duchess.

'William said it was very hot,' said Penny Hall, 43. 'People were fainting around us earlier but it was worth three hours in the blazing sun to have seen them.'

The Duke, who was starting to sweat underneath his blue single-breasted suit, was introduced by Kate Holt, 40, to her daughter Isabel, 14, and as he reached out to shake her hand he said: 'Sorry, I’m a bit sweaty.'

Royal treatment: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge greets the crowds gathered to greet him and his wife Kate at the Gardens

Home from home: William and Kate met pupils from the Tanglin Trust British School who had made dozens of glittery banners and were chanting 'Wills is brill, Kate is great' at the top of their voices

Duty comes first: Kate also took time to greet the assembled fans waiting at the entrance to the Gardens /09/12/article-2201945-14F8BBD2000005DC-45_964x631.jpg” width=”964″ height=”631″ alt=”Loyal subjects: Catherine bends over to greet a young girl clutching a Union flag. The Duchess was a hit with those who met her, with one person calling her 'down to earth and lovely'” class=”blkBorder” />

Loyal subjects: Catherine bends over to greet a young girl clutching a Union flag. The Duchess was a hit with those who met her, with one person calling her 'down to earth and lovely'

Located on reclaimed land in the Marina Bay area of the city, Gardens by the Bay is one of the largest projects of its kind in the world.

A British design team led by Bath-based architects Grant Associates, have created three unique gardens featuring Singapore's first conservatories housed in two large biodomes, displaying plants and flowers from the Mediterranean and Tropics.

Before they left, the royal couple planted a pachira glabra variegate to mark their visit. Kate said: 'It's amazing. I hope we can come back in a few years time when it's fully grown.'

Monarchy mad: A fan holds a photo of Britain's Diana, Princess of Wales, as thousands wait for the arrival of William and Kate

Frenzy: More than 3,000 cheering, flag waving members of the public had gathered at the gardens to see the royal couple, many of whom had waited for hours to catch a glimpse of the pair, who they said 'made them feel proud to be British'

VIDEO: The Duke and Duchess visit the Gardens by the Bay, Cloud Forest, this morning